Rule 1.230 Interventions

If you are not part of a lawsuit but have a personal stake in what happens, you can ask the court to let you join the case. This is called intervention. For example, if two parties are fighting over property that you also have a claim to, you could ask to be included in the case.

When you join as an intervener, you play a secondary role. The original case between the original parties stays in charge, and your involvement must work within that existing case. The judge does have the power to change this arrangement if there is a good reason to do so.